CHAPTER 15
What Does It Mean to Be a
Professional Educator?
Collin College
EDUC 1301
Chapter 15 – What Does It Mean to
a Professional
I.
A.
B.
C.
Profession or not?
Being a professional
Professional development
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A Profession:
 Offers a unique service to society
 Relies on intellectual skills for performance of
its service
 Has a long period of specialized training
 Offers individuals and the professional group
autonomy and decision making authority
 Requires members to accept personal
responsibility for actions and decisions
 Is self-governing; has a code of ethics
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 Divide
into Groups of 3
 Consider the Question
 Review the Six Characteristics of a
Profession
 Explain how each relates to teaching
 Decide as a group YES or NO and defend
your answer to the class
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 Children
have many teachers (parents, media)
 Limited training period – Bachelor’s degree
and lack of competition for entry
 Constraints on Autonomy (Curriculum,
working conditions, clients required)
 Little personal accountability for failure or
malpractice; little involvement in professional
organizations
 Low-paying & high-job security
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 Teachers’ Commitment
to Service
 The Teacher’s Unique Skills
 Domain of Control – Autonomy in classroom
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Level
One
Imitative“Going through the
Maintenance motions”
Level
Two
Level
Three
Meditative
GenerativeCreative
Reflects, but within a
limited range
Takes wide view of
knowledge, creates
desire to learn
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
Standard I. The teacher designs instruction appropriate for all
students that reflects an understanding of relevant content and is
based on continuous and appropriate assessment.
Standard II. The teacher creates a classroom environment of
respect and rapport that fosters a positive climate for learning,
equity, and excellence.
Standard III. The teacher promotes student learning by providing
responsive instruction that makes use of effective communication
techniques, instructional strategies that actively engage students in
the learning process, and timely, high-quality feedback.
Standard IV. The teacher fulfills professional roles and
responsibilities and adheres to legal and ethical requirements of the
profession.
http://www.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECOnline/standtest/standards/allppr.pdf
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Teachers:
1. Know the subjects they teach and how to
teach these subjects to students.
2. Are committed to their students and their
learning.
3. Are responsible for managing and
monitoring learning.
4. Think systematically about their practice
and learn from experience.
5. Are members of a learning community.
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NEA
 2.7 million members
 Geographically diverse
membership
 Offers a wide range of
services
 Endorses candidates
and positions that favor
education
• Money & size increase
AFT
 About .9 million
members
 Members in key urban
areas
 Known for aggressive
labor-relations tactics
 Champions reform
efforts that benefit
education and teachers
influence
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 National
Association for the Education of
Young Children | NAEYC
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 Includes
all members of school community
 Focus on continuous improvement
•
Individual, collegial, organizational
 Respects
& nurtures intellectual capacity
 Emphasizes best practices
•

Content, technology, teaching strategies, etc.
Planned
•
•
Collaboratively
Coherent long-term plan
 Evaluated
on basis of student learning
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 Independent
Study
• Action research
 Group
Study
 Graduate Study
 Professional Development Programs
 Supervision
 Mentoring
 Systematic Reflection on Practice
 150 hours required each 5 year cycle
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HOMEWORK

Lesson Plans Due
•Field-Based Reflections Due (Blackboard)
ITEMS DUE May 5
• Portfolio Due
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